Pocket-knife.



J. L & W HREH.

y POCKET KNIFE,

APPLIUA'MON rum Aw. 1;, w09.

` Patentad Sent. 13,1910. i

By l,

A from its lookin i; stance. we employ apivoted loc ing lever'fornormally securing the blade .in its kopen and closed positions,

. soneries earner cetrioli..

J'ACOBLCUIS SCHRADE AND WILLIAM SCHRAD, OF WALDEN, NEW YORK.

sooner-KNIFE.

eoeeoo.

e 1-0 pocket-knives, andconsists in the novel fea- `turesandcombinations of parts hereinafter described, andA particularly pointedout in' the claims.

Our invention relates more particularly 15" tofpocket-knives of 'thetype having means for locking the blade in its open and closedlpositions 'and means for causing a closed lade to liy open when`manually released In the w means. resent ina spring normally pressingonthe lookin en of said lever, Aand a push-button sli e carrying apushggbutton to, at the proper time, be pressed inwardlyr against thenon-locking end of said. lever for freeing the other end thereof fromits locking engagement with the knife-blade.

i vThe push-button slide tis normally adapted, 3() to stop and be heldby friction in any position to which it ma .be moved by pressure appliedto the pushntton, and our purpose is after each closing of a blade andalso preferably after each opening of a blade', to

.- i5 move said slide and push-button to such 1 j "safety-position thatlany inadvertent inward 4 vmovement of tlie'push-button may not operateto free the lockingdever from said blade. The pnshvbutton, for itssafety position,

jl'o may be moved directly over the locking end of the locking lever, sothat any inward4 movement of the button may not free said endfrom theblade but, if anything, more 'securely' press said end into engagementwith the blade, or said button may be moved entirely beyond the range ofthe lockinglever so that said but-ton if then pressed inwardly may bewholly' ineffective to operate said lever. In lieu of taxing the ownerof 5o the knife to move the push-button to a safety position, we mayemploy a spring to automatically movesaid button to such position. y

The invention Will `be fully understood from the detailed descriptionhereinafter Speeilcation of Letters Patent. Applicants inea .fing-un.is, ieee.

Patented Sept. 13, 19110. serial no. 511x179.,A

presented, reference beine had to the accompanying drawings, in w ich:

Figure l is a side elevation of a pocket- .knile embodying ourinvention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the same with theouter mounting removed to expose the metal lining and the pushbuttonwith its coperating parts; Fig'. 3 is a View corresponding with Fig. 2but with the push-button and the slide carrying the saine removed; Fig.4 is a view corresponding with Figs. .2 and 3 but with a portion of theknife broken away and the pnsli-button and its coperating applied partsremoved to fully expose the ymetal lining and the slots and separatingbar or bridge formed therein for a tiltable lever employed for lockingor releasing the blade; Fig. 5 is a like view' partly in section, of thesame, with the lining removed to expose the bladeopening spring andtherecesses in the tan of the blade to receive the end lof the tilta lelocking lever; Fig. 6

is an enlarged front edge View, partlyv broken away and partly insection, of the knife, with the bladelocked in its closed position andthe push-button in its safety-p0; sition in which it is incapable ofcausing the tiltable lock-'lever to release the blade; Fig. 7 is adetached enlarged perspective view of the tiltable loclolever; Fig. 8isa detached perspective View of the push-button and its spring-slide;and Fig. 9 is a view corre-l sponding substantially with the sectionalportion of Fig. 6 but showing the push-button out of range of thelock-lever so as to be incapable in such position 'of operating thelock-lever to release the blade, the construction. shown in Fig.- 9being a modificationY to indicate that in lieu of the push-button beingmoved to a location o'ver the locking ond of the lever, as shown in Fig.6, where it is inoperative to release said lever from the blade, it maybe moved to an'extreme opposite position from over or entirely out ofrange of said lever.

ln the drawings, l() designates the linings, usually of brass, of theknife-handle, 11 the mountings secured on and covering said linings, l2a blade pivotally secured in a known manner between the end portions ofthe sides of the handle,'and 13 a known fly-spring for automaticallymoving the blade, to an open positionwhen said blade is released fromthe locking mechanism of our invention.

The shank of theblade 12 has at opposite GIZ sides ot the bushing 1awhich encompasses the mirfldle part of the rivet 15, known longitudinalre esses numbered 16, 17, repletively, the rec .se 16 receiving theloclrrn'g device "when the blade is closed, to hold it closed, and therecess 17 receiving said device when the blade is open, to loclr itopen.

The lining 10, at one side `of the blade, is formed with openings 18, 19separated by a bar or bridge 20, and preferably the opening 19 will belonger than the opening 18. The openings 18, 19 are adjacent to theshank or tanfr of the blade and parallel With the recesses 16, 17therein.

Upon the bar or bridge 20 is mouhted a bar-shaped locking-lever 21 (Fig.7 which is preferably provided With a transverse groove or recess 22 onits inner side to pass upon said l'rridge 20, said bridge affording afulcrum for said lever and With said recess 22 prevent-ing en dWisemovement of said lever, vvhile atv the same time affording a bearing topermit a tilting or rocking movement of the lever when necessary. Therecess E22 permits the locking-lever to be set partly Within theopenings 18,19, and this is important in that thereby the sides .of saidopenings may be utilized as guides for 'the lever during its rocking orpivotal movements'and to prevent lateral or sidewise shifting of saidlever. The groove or recess 22 also permits the lever 21 to sink to someextent int-o 'the brass lining 10 and to thereby become more efficientin action. VWe also preferably bend or curve the lever Q1 so that itsend portions Will When in action enter the openings 18, 19. Thelocking-lever 21 is preferably formed of a rectangular piece of steel,as shown in Fig. 7, so as to be of durable, efficient and lastingcharacter. The outer end of the locking-lever 21 is the end whichengages the .recesses 16, 17 of the blade, and for the sake of greaterefficiency and perfection of mechanical `movement and detail We havesaid end longer than the other end of said lever, and for thisreasonmalte the opening 19 in the lining` 10 of greater lent h than theopening 18 therein.

The l.oching-lever21is seat-ed upon the bar or brid Q0 and is therenormally held with its outer end projected or tilted inwardly partlythrough ythe opening 19 and inone or theother of thewreeesses 16, 17 ofthe blade, by a locking-spring 23, more clearly shown in Fig. 3, whichis a leaf-spring cut out in its interior longitudinal portion orslotted,.as at Q4, and secured at oneend `under the head of a rivet 25,While atx-its other or outer end it presses against the outer or longerend of the locking-lever 21 and normally holds the same in its lockingposition, -as shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 9.I The inner end of thelocking-spring 23 is recessed to pass below the head of the rivet 25 andstraddle said rivet,

` serving to 'tht-spring 23 normally holds the locking lever 2l, `initsl locking position, and some iii-cans must be provided for, at theproper tinrdiilting said lever to its unlocking or releasing position,and in the presentinstance we provide a longitudinally movablepuslilbutton Z6 for this purpose. The push-lnitton 26 is preferablyscrewed into a slidable bar 27 l(Fig.l 8) which has at its inner side vaspring-tongue Q8, which presses against the lining 10 Within the outlineof the slot in the springill, While the bar 27 is confined Within anelongated recess 29 forme/l in the adjacent mounting 11. bar 9.7 ispressed outwardly against the outer wall of the recess 29 by thespringtongue 28 and hence 'is under a tension said recess to which itmay be moved. @ne of the main purposes of the spring-tongue 28 is,howeverr` to keep the push-button 2G normally pressed outwardly so thatits inner stud end will stand free of the loch-v ing-lever 21. The outerend of the pushbutton 26 within and projects partly through an elongatedslot 30 formed in the mounting v11 and said buttonris slidable in saidslot. The button 26 has a threaded slmnlr which may be screwed into atlireaded holo in the bar 2T, and at the inner end of this .shank is aninwardly projecting ref duced or stud portion 31 (Fig. 8) lwhich isutilized to f ,Q the Shorter end of the locking-lever 1 when the buttonis pressed iinvardly with the purpose of tilting said lever to releasethe blade 12 and permit the spring 13 to cause it to fly open. Thebutton 9.o vmay have in its outer end .a screwdrivengroove (Fig. 2) forconvenience in securing the button to the bar 27, Uur

The. i

los

purpose is( to apply the button 2.6 to posiy through the slot 30, themechanism is rendered very convenient of operation. In accordance Withour invention, in itspreferred embodiment, We form ythe openings 18, 19and bridge 2O in the lining 10 at one side of the blade and provide thelocking-lever 21, lock-spring 23, push-button 26 and push-button slide27. Q8. As auxiliary to our invention We provide, in the constructionshown in Fig. 6, a coiledspring 33 having anormal action to push thebutton-slide to a position inwvhich the button is over the locking-endof the lever releasing said lever .from the blade.

21 and incapable, if pressed inwardly f l hile vblade shall open, tomove the pusli-but-ton releasing saidlever from the blade, .W

in the construction` shown in Fi 9, we provide a coiled spring 34 adapte-to pull the button slide to carry the push-button ont of range of thelockinglever so as to render it incapable, if pushed inwardly, of t isimportant that the button 26 should be incapable of releasing the bladeexcept when that result is intended, since otherwise the' blade `mightbe released to operi when the knife is in onespocket and pressure isunintentionally, as when leaning against something, exerted against thebutton '26. Under all oi'dinary conditions the spriii tension in thebutton-slide will hold saiilr slide in whatever position it may be movedto and the user of the knife may move saidv slide to the safety positionof the button, but so that the user may not have to charge his m'iiidwith the desirability of moving the slide and button -to a safetyositioii before placing the knife in his poc tet, we provide one or the4other of th'e springs 33, 34 to automatically move the biitton-slide toa normal safety position and only leave it for the user to move thebutton to its operati've position when he desires to release -tlieblade. i

In Fig. 6 we -show the blade closed and the push-button 26 as normallyin its safety or inoperative position, theouter end of the lock 21 beingheld in the recess 16 of the blade by the spring 23; lVhen it is desiredthat the--bl'ade v12 shall iy open, the pushbutton 26 will be movedalong the slot 30 until said butt-on is o ver'tlie inner or shorter en'dof the lever 21"and then pressed inwardly against the lever to tilt itsouter endj from the recess of thejblade 12, whereupon the spring 13.will cause the blade to fly open. ing been'released, the outer end ofthe lock 21 is free to enter the recess 1 7 of the open blade .and holdsaid blade open and the spring 334 may move the button slide and buttonto their normal safety position shown in Fig.. 6, so that by noaccidentalinward movement of the button .would the lock be removed fromthe blade during the -use of the latter. Whenit is desired'to close tlieblade, thepush-button 26 will be moved over the in'ner or shorter end ofthe'lock 21 and pressed inwardly against the same for the pnrpose oftilting theouter or longer end of said lock from the-recess 17to`release the blade and permit the same' to be closed. Upon the releaseof the p'u'sli-but'tom'the spring 33 will automatically move the sainetoits inoperative or safety position shown in Fig. 6. Upon the closingof the blade @1 2 the lock 21 "will entert-he recess 16 andhold the sameclosed.

In the constructionv shown in Fig. 9, it

The pressure on the button 26 havf will be necessary when it is desiredthat the in a direction toward the rivet 15 or until said button is overthe inner end of the lever 21 and then press said button inward] againstsaid end of said lever so asto tilt the outer end of said lever outwardlfrom the recess 1(3 in the blade, thus freeing the blade to be actedupon by the spring 13. Lifter the push button :'26 of Fig. 9 has beenreleased from the pressure of the hand, the spring 34 will retract saidbutton and its slide to the position shown in Fin'. 9, whereby thepush-button is carried the ond the lockinglever 21, and any accidenta orother inward movement of the push-button will be ineffective to operatethe lockinglever 2l. The constructions shown! in Figs. 6 and 9 areintended to attain ythe same final result so far as giving thepush-button a safety position isconcerned, such position in Fig. 6 beingshown as -ovei' the outer or locking end of the lever, while in Fig. 9,as a modification, such position is indicated as in. wai-illy beyond theiaiige of the level'.

`In each form of the invention shown a single push-buttoii is utilizedfor freeing the blade to ily open and moved or permitted to move toasafety Josition so as not to free the blade from its ockii'ig meansafter it has 95 been opened, said button also being movable to a safety'position after the blade has been closed, so that said blade may' notby any inadvertent inward pressure on the button be freed to fly open.100

'e have described the details of the pre. feried construction embodyingourinvention 4but do not wish to be limited to sucli details` since weregard our invention as in many i'espects generic and not confined todetails of form and arrangement. Our locking-lever is an improvement onany prior blade locking mechanism known to us, and our slidable4push-button adapted not only to release the lockin mechanism butto bemoved or autoiiiatica ly move to a safety-position where it will beincapable of operating the blade lockingmechanism to release the blade.is novel and important and not to be confined,

in every instance, to any special blade-locking mechanism. c

Vliat we claim as oui invention and desire to secure ,by Letters-Patent,is:

1. In a pocket-knife liaving'auton'iatic bladeo ening means and recessesin the 120 shank o the blade, a locking-lever bar pivotally mounted at apoint between its ends whereby it is adapted at one end to enter saidrecesses. a locking-spring normally engaging said lever to hold it inits locking position, and a longitudinally slidable pushbntton forreleasing said lever from the blade: Asubstantially as set forth.

2. In a. ocket-knifc having automaticl blade-opening means and recessesin the vio shank oiithe blade, a'locking-lever bar piV i otally mountedatv a-y point between its ends whereby itis adapted at one end'tov entersaid recesses,a:locking-spring normally en-' gaging said leverto hold itin itswlocking position, Land a llongitudinally vslidable 'push-Ibuttonyfor releasing said' lever' from the blade, the liningoftheqknife-vhandle having' openings in it separated byja bar to receivesaidy lockinglever,which"is fulcrumed, on said b'a'r'; substantially asset forth;

ocket --knife having 'automat-ic B. In a bladeo Vening 4 means `andrecesses lin the shank@ the blade, 'a locking-lever bar pivotallymounted "at a point between its'ends whereby. itl is'adapted fat one.end .to enter said recesseaa-,lpeking-spring normallyjengaging said'leverjt holdit in it-'s locking position, andiallongitudinally'slidable push# but-ton.. for releasing said lever from`the blade, the lining-of th'e knifehandle having openings ,in itseparated by a bar to receive said locking-lever, which is recessedvtoireceivey and seatpn said bar;` substantially als'` I, button vforreleasing said lever :from the blade, the lining of the knifefhandlehaving openings-.in it separated, by afbar to receive ceive and seat yon said-.v locking lever .which is recessed to reit-iallyjas,set-forth.l

45.' In a ocketf blade-opening means and' recessesin theshankofthefblade, a locking-leverbar piv` otally mounted at la pointbetween'its :ends

- seeing shanky f the blade, 'a l6o jwhereby it islfadapted atflone endto enten said recesses, a locking-spring normally en said lever toholdfit in .its locking posit-ion', and. a longitudinally slidable pushfbutton for releasing said `lever 'fromj the spring fastened at o'ne endand at its other end bearing. against'thelockingend of 'said lever andhaving an opening ,inittmpermit y the push-button to act againstsaidl'lwevei; to .release it set'forth. M

.6. In a pocketfknife -vha-ving automatic from the bladeg; ,lsubstapt-ially .as

bladefiopeningf-mdans and reeesses in the locking-lever bar pivotallymounted ata point bettiien itsr ends whereby it is adapted at one endenter said recesses, a locking spring'no nfally en'- M gagingsaid leverto hold it inits lockihgjpo-v i sition, and a longitudinlly ','slidablepushbutton for when 1n one position releasing l said i bar and-slightlyl"curved to dip through said lining;l substanknife having 'automaticysaid locking-spring Vbeing a bar-k the lever fromfthe blade and wheny:moved from such position being inoperative to rel lease said lever;substantially as 'set i:orthv V 7i., a "pocketknife having automatic otally mounted at a point between its ends whereby it is adapted `at foneendy to enter said'lever to hold itin its locking position, a'longitudinally slidable push-button .for when inoneA position releasingthe lever from the blade and when moved from such position beinginoperativeto release said lever, and, means for automatically movingsaid button lto a normal, inoperative or safety posit-ion g1substantially as set forth;

i S. `In a pocketknife having automatic blade opening means andvrecesses in the gagmg wherebyl lit is adapted4 at one "end to enter,said recesses, 'a locking-spring normally en? gaging said'leverto'lholdit imits locking poya -sition, a push-button slidebetweentheflfining and mounting ofthe knifehandle, and a push-button carri ed'by said slide 'f and" eX- posed through an elongated slot in s'aidmounting,v said push-button being adapted when in one .positionto bepressed inwardly for releasingsaid lever from the blade' and when movedto a diEerent position being inoperative to release said lever;substantially asset forth.

9. In a pocket-knife having automatic blade opening' means landrecessesin the sh ank' of the blade, a locking-lever bar pivotwhereby itis adapted at one endto enter gaging said lever to hold it in itslocking position, a push-button slide between the 1liningand mounting ofthe knife-handle,

`exposed through an elongated slot in said mounting, when in onevposition tobepressedinw'ardly fior reileasing said lever from ltheblade and when, nioved to a`r inoperative to release said lever,combined with means for automatically movingisaid slidefto carry 'saidpush button to its, normal inoperative or safety position; substantiallyas set'forth. y

10.` In a pocket-knifehaving automatic -blade-opening means andrecesses.in 'the .shank of the blade, a locking-lever bar pivotallymountedl at apoint' between'its ends whereby itis adapted atene. end toenter gaging saidflever lto hold itin its Alocking position, apu'shbutton and -a push-buttoncarried by said slide and exposed'.throughan elongatedlslot in said -blade"- op`eningmeans and recesses "in theshank oflth'e blade, a. lock'ingflever bar"piv'- votally mounted at apoint bet'weenits endsy said recesses, alocking-spring normally ehi"said recesses,a locking-spring normally en-L shank of fthe blade, alocking-,lever bar piv# -said'recesses a. locking-,spring normallyenally vmounted at xa 4point between its ends y and a push-buttoncarried by said slideand said pnsh-buttonbein'g adapted differentposition being slide between thev lining and/mounting of ytheknifehandle,

vil() mounting, said push-button being adapted when in 'one' positionto' be pressed inwardly for releasino said lever from the bliide andwhen'm'oved .to a dilerent position being inoperative torelease saidlever, and said push-button having its shank screwed into vsaid slideand having a reduced inner end or safety position; substantially `as setforth. v

12. In a pocket-knife having automatic blade-opening means and springactuated locking means for 'lockinr thefblade stai tionary, alongitudinally sidable push-butmounting, sai

` blade-opening -means and sprin ton to release said locking means fromthe blade when said button is in one position and .being ino erativewhen moved to a different or sa, ety position, combined with means' forautomatically moving 'said button'togits inoperative position;substantially as set-forth. v

13. In a .pocket-knife having automatic blade-,opening means and springactuated locking means for locking the blade `sta tionary, a push-buttonslide between the lining and mountingjof the knife-handle, and apush-button carried by said slide and exposed throu h an elongated slotin said push-button beine' adapted when inone position to be pressedBinwardly for releasing'said locking means from said blade and when movedvto adierentposi tion being inoperative to release the blade;substantially as set f orth.

'14. vIn' a pocket-knife having automatic actuated locking means forlocking the lade stationary, .a' push-button slide between .the liningand mountingof the knife-handle, and a push-button carried bysaid slideand exposed through' an elongated slot .in said mounting, saipush-button ,bein adapted 'when in one position to be pressedgy inwardlyfor releasing said locking means from said blade 'and when moved to adili'erent positionbeing inoperative to release the blade, combined withmeans for automatically moving said slide to carry said push-button toits normal' inoperative or safety-position; substantially as set forth.X

15. In a pocket-knife having automat-ic blade-opening means and lsprinoactuated locking means for locking the Z:blade stationary, a push-buttonslidebetween the liuing and mounting of the knife-handle, and apush-button carried by said slide and exposed through au elongated slotin said mounting, said puslrbutton being adapted when in one position tobe pressed inwardly for .releasing Said locking means from said bladeand when moved to a different position being inoperative to release ltheblade, andl said push-button having its shank screwed into said slideand having a re duced inner end portion to engage, when pressedinwardly, said locking means to release the same from the blade;substantially as set forth.

' 1G. In a pocket-knife having automatic blade-opening means andspringactuated locking means for locking the blade stationary, apush-button slide between the lining and mounting of the knife-handle,and a push-button carried bysaid slide and exposed lthrough an elongatedslot in said mounting, said push-button being adapted when in oneposition to be pressed inwardly foil releasing said locking means fromsaid blade and when moved to a different position being inoperative torelease the blade, said slide being a bar set in a recess in themounting and having a tongue pressing against the lining, whereby saidslide has a normal tendency, to rema'in in any position to which it maybe moved; substantially as set forth.

Signed at Walden, in the county of Orange, and State of New York, this12 day of Aug. A. D. 1909.

JACOB LOUIS SCHRADE. VVILL'IAM SCHRADE.

Witnesses:

CYRUs B. FowLnR, DAVID P. DECKER.

